A few days ago, I published The Palestinian Error, an article where I claimed it would be an error for the Palestinians to begin a new negotiation process with Israel since Israel had proved time and again being a “red-negotiator” (see that article for the definition). Not surprisingly, I got no comments on that; this type of arguments is highly unpopular. Today, October 3, 2011, my readers can see in real life what I meant. Yesterday night, a Jewish terrorist attack was conducted on the mosque of Tuba-Zangariyye, a Bedouin village between Safed and the Golan Heights.

One of three mosques in the village was set on fire. The entire interior of the mosque went up in flames, causing heavy damage including to holy books. Graffiti with the words “price tag” was found on the wall of the mosque.

“It was a criminal act by bandits, it could have happened everywhere,” many Zionists are probably claiming, using a Muscovite favorite term to define the perpetrators. Israel excels in excuses for its crimes. Unluckily for them, this time the crime was signed: “Price Tag.” Reluctantly, Zionist politicians were quick to issue condemns.

Mosque in Tuba-Zangariyye | After the Jewish Terror Attack of October 3, 2011

Price Tag

The term “Price Tag Policy” became public in July 2008, when settler Itay Zar from "Havat Gilad" referred to the policy as such: "Whenever an evacuation (of settlers) is carried out - whether it is a bus, a trailer or a small outpost - we will respond." It refers to illegal actions carried out by radical right-winged Israeli activists and settlers. The actions of these Jewish hooligans include demonstrations, blocking of roads, clashes with Israeli security forces, throwing rocks at Palestinian cars, torching of Palestinian fields and orchards, and the destruction and uprooting of trees belonging to Palestinians. The last is very important since according to certain Ottoman Laws still valid in Israel, trees can be used to show ownership of land.

One of the worst attacks by Price Tag took place in 2009, when a mosque was burned in Yasuf, a village located in the West Bank. Graffiti was sprayed on the building: "Prepare for the price tag."

The new attack took place in Tuba-Zangariyye, which is in the Galilee and thus enjoys a completely different status. But before expanding on that, let’s look a bit deeper into “Price Tag.”

Following Rabin’s Assassination, the Israeli public found out all organizations in Israel were plagued with political police (politruks) officers, often placed there as Shin Beth moles. One of these crawling creatures was positioned then in the Bar Ilan University and convinced Rabin’s assassin to perpetrate his hideous crime. “Agent Champagne” (the operational code of Avishai Raviv) was part of “HaAgaf Hayehudi” (The Jewish Department) of the Shin Beth, as it was disclosed in the subsequent trial of Yigal Amir, the assassin. This is important to this article because it means that Price Tag is also infiltrated, especially when the names of several key members are well-known.

It is improbable that the Shin Beth didn’t know about the Price Tag action in Tuba beforehand. The issue is simple; the public flowing into organizations like Price Tag is the same kind of people attracted into becoming Shin Beth agents: ultra-nationalistic, Jewish-supremacists. It isn’t only that Price Tag is infiltrated; most probably several of its members are Shin Beth officers in their daily life. There is a real possibility that Shin Beth officers found a gap in the security of the mosque and informed their Price Tag friends on how to perpetrate the crime without being detected.

In any case that fact that so much time after the beginning of its reign of terror, Price Tag is still well and flourishing, indicates they enjoy of a silent support of the Israeli Administration, despite public condemns. (“Bad boys! Bad Boys!” politicians shout on the media but keep silently providing them with military training and weapons.)

On Bedouins, Palestinians and Israel

The location of this last attack was surprising: it was within the Green Line and very close to Safed, where the Northern Command of the IDF is located. Moreover, this is a Bedouin village, rendering the attack a completely different political value. Tuba and Zangariyye were two villages when they were conquered in 1948 by the Palmach troops of the Haganah during Operation Yiftach. Unlike other similar villages in the area, its denizens decided to stay and collaborate with the Zionists.

Bedouins born within the Green Line are citizens of Israel. Unlike Jewish citizens they are not forced to enroll to the IDF, but most of them volunteer. In The Cross of Bethlehem I explained that in further detail; Israel defines the rights and debts of a citizen toward the state according to his – or her – ethnic group. Many Bedouins volunteer to the IDF, but then – unlike the Druze – they are kept within one unit. The unit is called the Desert Rangers Battalion (Gdud Siur Midbari) which is part of the Givati Infantry Brigade. Often called the “Minorities Unit,” it includes also Circassian and even a few Palestinian soldiers. All of them must volunteer to the IDF. These soldiers serve mainly as trackers and pathfinders, and often are attached ad hoc to other military units. The point is that they are heavily monitored and kept away from strategic units and issues. They are not trusted.

Beneath the formal acceptance of Bedouins as citizens, they are treated badly. Last time this reached the headlines was on August 28, 2010, when minor events regarding unrecognized structures led to clashes between Bedouins in the Negev and the Israeli Police. But also when not in the headlines, their lives aren’t easy. The villages of Tuba and Zangariyye were consolidated into a local council by the Israeli Ministry of Interior. They are not allowed to vote for a mayor; the last is imposed by the ministry. Unsurprisingly, the mayor is not a local Bedouin but an Israeli general, Tzvika Fogel is his name.

Thus we have a small village of Bedouins in the Galilee which is loyal to the State of Israel to the extent of sending its sons to die for it (Bedouins and Druze soldiers experience among the highest rate of casualties in the IDF). They are not allowed to run their affairs by themselves, they do not enjoy the same facilities and services an Israeli citizen in nearby Safed would enjoy, and atop all this they are being brutally targeted by groups closed to Israel’s security services. If Israel doesn’t trust, and mistreats such loyal citizens, what can the Palestinians expect to achieve in a negotiation process?

We won’t see the words “Jewish Terror” mentioned in the mainstream media towards the perpetrators of this attack, despite this being the same type of activity that justifies the frequent denomination of a very popular religion as “terrorist” by the same media.
It seems burning-Korans Jews are acceptable citizens in Israel. What would happen if a Muslim would burn a Torah scroll in a New York Synagogue? Would then the media then accept the event as placidly as it accepts the Price Tag terror events?

What’s the price tag for getting such a preferential media treatment? Mr. Rothschild, could you please inform us?